With five shopping days remaining until the NHL imposes its second owners’ lockout in the last eight years, the Rangers took care of a back-of-the-house issue yesterday by re-upping unrestricted free-agent defenseman Steve Eminger to a one-year contract worth $750,000.

Eminger, who earned $800,000 on a one-year deal last season, provides depth on the blue line as a righty who can play both sides. The 28-year-old played 42 games in the regular season and four in the playoffs, sitting as a result of a pair of significant injuries (a separated shoulder on Dec. 17 and a severely sprained ankle on March 15) and as a healthy scratch.

Entering his third year on Broadway, Eminger (2-3=5, even-rating in 13:16 per) is likely to compete with Stu Bickel for the sixth spot on defense behind Dan Giardi, Ryan McDonagh, Marc Staal, Anton Stralman and Michael Del Zotto, the last of whom remains unsigned as a restricted free agent.

The Rangers are believed to have offered Del Zotto a two- or three-year contract in the neighborhood of $2.5 million per. The 22-year-old, fourth-year pro, who is coming off an entry level contract and whose limited systemic leverage is not likely to increase under the next collective bargaining agreement, is believed seeking a longer and more lucrative deal.